A Model Competency-Based Paraprofessional Training Program in Gerontology. Final Report.

Through funding from the Michigan Department of Education, a small private college in a suburban area outside Detroit developed a three-year competency-based paraprofessional training program in gerontology. During the first year of the program, courses and competencies were developed and 50 paraprofessionals were recruited; in the second year new courses were developed for this advanced group of 40 who wished to continue and a new group of 45 were recruited; and in the third year training was provided for the 40 who wished to continue from their first year; job counseling was provided and a follow-up study was conducted on those who had finished training. Objectives for the final year include a training sequence objective, a job counseling objective, and a follow-up study objective. Appendices contain faculty assessment of student achievement, student evaluation of course objectives, self-evaluation forms and questionnaires.(Author)